Take Your Afternoon Tea With a Twist
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 by Heather
Photo via Mymodernmet.com
Is “Afternoon Tea” the new cocktail hour? Taken in the traditional British context, Afternoon Tea is the long-established social ritual which takes place in the late afternoon. It’s also referred to as “low tea” because it is usually taken in a sitting room where tea is served on low tables located next to sofas and chairs.
Photo via Mymodernmet.com
With a delectable spread of teas, scones, jams, creams, sweets and savories – all served with exquisite porcelain tea sets ideally – afternoon tea is a grand backdrop for a judicious observation of proper tea etiquette. And whether formal or informal, tea-time is an old world phenomenon that America has wholeheartedly embraced.
Bigelow Tea loves a twist on tea and we have seen many themed Afternoon Teas – on both sides of the pond – like Mad Hatter teas, and Fashion-inspired teas. So it’s not surprising to us when Old World meets New World, that the traditional afternoon tea takes on new (and delightful!) twists.
Photo via Director.co.uk
For instance, afternoon tea in the USA often begins a little earlier– 3:00 pm, instead of the traditional 4:00pm or 5:00pm. And in addition to the customary tea time fare, we now add pastries, appetizers, and all sorts of savory nibbles. This leads us to another new libation. Yes, it’s still all about the tea–but many Afternoon Tea twists now includes a little extra zest, like champagne or vodka. Of course with the addition of alcohol to your tea, you actually get a NaughTEA!
So if you like your tea shaken, not stirred, you should try including some of Bigelow Tea’s special concoctions at your next afternoon tea, like our Berry Peachy Mar-TEA-ni or Green Tea Frui-TEA Cosmopolitan. When holding your glass, though, still remember to keep that pinky raised!